Conductive washer



Aug. 10, 1965 J. w. SPISELMAN ETAL 3,199,257

CONDUCTIVE WASHER Filed June 26, 1961 INVENTORS JOSEPH w. SPIYSELMANDAVID s. BERNSTEIN ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,199,257 CONDUCTIVEWASHER Joseph W. Spiselman, Brooklyn, NY, and David S. Bernstein,Teaneck, N..l., assignors, by mesne assignments,

to Floating FOORS Inc, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York FiledJune 26, 1961, Ser. No. 119,429 Claims. (Cl. 52--241) This inventionrelates to a new and improved conductive washer construction adapted toprovide a cushioning or gasket effect through the use of relativelysoft, resilient non-conductive spongy material but at the same timeproviding for .the conductance of electricity through the same bymetallic conductive means without, however, losing or sacrificing thecushioning effect of the device.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a conductivewasher for a pedestal for elevated flooring such as for example isillustrated in US. Patent No. 2,850,332 issued April 15, 1958 whereinpedestals are arranged at intervals over a sub-floor and metal panels orplates forming the elevated floor are set thereon, there beingordinarily a Washer placed on the top surface of each pedestal uponwhich the metal elevated flooring directly rests in order to reducenoise and wear between the metal of the flooring and the metal of thepedestal. In some cases it is desired to have the metal flooring panelselectrically grounded, but the washers or gaskets on the pedestals,acting as insulators, prevent the grounding, and it is in this instancethat the novel conductive washer forming the subject matter of thepresent invention is particularly useful, while still however retainingthe sound deadening and cushioning effect of the washer itself.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 isa top plan view of a washer according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view showing a portion of the protective coverremoved;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an edge view looking in the direction of arrow 4 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an edge view looking in the direction of arrow Sin FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view on a reduced scale of an elevated flooringpedestal with the new conductive washer in position, and

FIG. 7 is a View in elevation illustrating the pedestal with theflooring in position on the washer, parts being in section.

The present invention comprises essentially a small sheet of resilientmaterial 10 which is made of any material suitable for forming a washer,gasket, or resilient pad. This material could be rubber or spongerubber, plastic, cork, leather, etc., but by its very nature is aninsulator against vibration, noise and electricity.

As shown in the drawings, the shape of this washer is substantiallysquare but of course it may be also rectangular, round, oval, etc.

An open continuous frame of electricity-conducting material is arrangedat one side surface of the sheet of washer material 19. This frameconforms in general to the shape of the edge of the washer material 10and is indicated generally by the reference numeral 12. As clearlyindicated in the drawings, the frame 12 sets on the sheet of material 10which extends in general to the side edges of the frame, see forinstance FIG. 3. Any electric contact made anywhere on the surface offrame 12 will be conducted .to all other parts of the frame.

3,199,257 Patented Aug. 10, T9655 The frame 12 is provided with a seriesof bent down tabs 14 which encompass certain edge portions of the sheet10 and serve to connect the electricity-conducting frame 12 to theelectricity-insulative sheet 10 and they also have a more importantfunction which is to conduct the electricity from one side surface ofthe washer to the opposite side surface thereof. This of course isaccomplished by reason of the fact that the tabs 14 are integral orfirmly secured to the frame 12. Thus any electric connection to theframe 12 will be transmitted to the opposite side of the washer by meansof tabs 14 and thus transmitted to any electricity conducting memberupon which the conductive washer of the present invention is set.

It is to be emphasized that the frame 12 and the tabs 14 are made ofthin, easily bendable material such as for instance aluminum, so that ifa heavy object should be placed upon the washer, it still will obtainthe benefits of the resiliency of the washer material, and it is to beparticularly noted that the tabs 14 are relatively widely spaced, beingin the case illustrated in the present invention located at the cornersof the washer.

The lower surface as at 18 of the washer material may be coated with apressure sensitive adhesive disposable cover 20 so that the washer maybe located in desired position and will not be liable to become lostfrom its situation. Also the material of the frame 12 being thin, it maybe bent to be shaped to any irregular surface and it will thereforesubstantially cause the resilient washer material to conform to theshape to which it is bent.

A washer of the construction described is particularly useful inelevated flooring which is illustrated in FIG. 7. In this case it willbe seen that there is a pedestal at 22 which may be if desired mountedon a plate 24. In this case the pedestal is screw-threaded and supportsa nut as at 26. There may be a lock nut employed also, or a lockingmember 28 as defined in copending patent application Serial No. 63,404,now Patent No. 3,084,911. On the nut 26 there is mounted a head 30 andthis in turn is provided with a series of projections 32, 32 which serveto help locate the flanges 34, 36 of elevated flooring panels 38, 38.The washer of the present invention is indicated in FIG. 7 by thereference numeral 411 and it will be seen that the flanges 3d mustcontact the frame 12 as disclosed for instance in FIG. 1 of the presentinvention, and this effect is perhaps clearer from an inspection of FIG.6. The washer 10, 12 is adhesively secured generally in the positionshown in FIG. 6 and the center lines 42 and 44 indicate the adjacentedges of four panels 38, the corners of which are supported on thepedestal. It will be seen that each one of the four panels must contacta portion of the frame 12 and thus be grounded with respect to thepedestal. Thus it will be seen that the panels 38 are electricallyconnected with respect to the pedestal 22 but at the same time theconductive washer maintains and preserves its resiliency and preventionof noise as would be present were the panels 33 to rest directly uponthe pedestal 30. This provides an extremely simple and inexpensive wayof cushioning the panels to lessen the noise between the panels and thepedestals while at the same time providing for an electric connectionbetween the same.

Having thus described our invention and the advantages thereof, we donot wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise thanas set forth in the claims, but what we claim is:

1. In an elevated metal floor system, the combination of a plurality ofpanels having downwardly depending flanges along peripheral edgesthereof, said panels disposed in edge abutting relationship with thedepending flanges resting on spaced supporting pedestals, each of saidpedestals having a substantially planar support surface on the topportion thereof, said pedestals being located beneath the panels at theabutting edges of a plurality of said panels, a washer rest-ing on thesupport surface of the pedestal and disposed between the support surfaceand the depending flanges, said washer comprising a sheet ofelectrically insulative resilient material, an open frame ofelectrically conducting material disposed on the top peripheral edgesurface of the resilient sheet, and in contact with the dependingflanges, a plurality of tabs of electrically conductive materialintegral with and disposed around the peripheral edge of said frame,said tabs extending downwardly around the edges of said resilient sheetand into contact with the pedestal support surface.

2. The combination of elements defined by claim 1 wherein theelectrically conducting material is relatively thin, soft, and bendable.

3. The combination of elements defined by claim 1 characterized by asheet of pressure sensitive adhesive material on the lower surface ofsaid washer and in contact with said support surface to aid in holdingsaid washer in place on said pedestal.

4. In an elevated metal floor system, the combination of a plurality ofpanels having downwardly depending flanges along peripheral edgesthereof, said panels disposed in edge abutting relationship, a pluralityof spaced supporting pedestals located beneath said panels at theabutting edges thereof, each of said pedestals having a substantiallyplanar support surface on which said depending flanges of said panelsare supported, a washer resting on the support surface of each of saidpedestals and disposed between the support surface and the dependingflanges of said panels, said washer comprising a sheet of electricallyinsulative resilient material, a sheet of electrically conductingmaterial disposed on top of said resilient sheet and in contact with thedepending flanges, a plurality of tabs of electrically conductivematerial connected with and disposed around the peripheral edge of saidelectrically-conducting sheet, said tabs extending downwardly around theedges of said resilient sheet and into contact with the pedestal supportsurface.

5. In an elevated metal floor system, the combination of a plurality ofpanels having downwardly depending flanges along peripheral edgesthereof, said panels disposed in edge abutting relationship, a pluralityof spaced supporting pedestals located beneath said panels at theabutting edges thereof, each of said pedestals having a sub stantiallyplanar support surface on which said depending flanges of said panelsare supported, a washer resting on the support surface of each of saidpedestals and disposed between the support surface and the dependingflanges, said Washer comprising a sheet of electrically insulative,resilient material, a sheet of electrically conducting material disposedon at least the peripheral edge surface of the top of said resilientsheet and in contact with the depending flanges, a plurality of tabs ofelectrically conductive material connected with said sheet of conductivematerial, said tabs extending downwardly below the lower surface of saidresilient sheet and into contact with the pedestal support surface.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,745,171 1/30Kocher 206 2,867,301 1/59 Benton 189-34 2,956,653 10/60 Liskey 189--342,999,125 9/61 Young 174141 3,025,934 3/62 Spiselman et al l89-343,026,367 3/62 Hartwell 17435 3,067,843 12/62 Rushtoh et al 18934 0RICHARD VJ. COOKE, JR., Primary Examiner.

CORNELIUS D. ANGEL, HENRY C. SUTHERLAND,

JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Examiners.

1. IN AN ELEVATED METAL FLOOR SYSTEM, T HE COMBINATION OF A PLURALITY OFPANELS HAVING DOWNWARDLY DEPENDING FLANGES ALONG PERIPHERAL EDGESTHEREOF, SAID PANELS DISPOSED IN EDGE ABUTTIONG RELATIONSHIP WITH THEDEPENDING FLANGES RESTING ON SPACED SUPPORTING PEDESTALS, EACH OF SAIDPEDESTALS HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY PLANAR SUPPORT SURFACE ON THE TOPPORTION THEREOF, SAID PEDESTALS BEING LOCATED BENEATH THE PANELS AT THEABUTTING EDGES OF A PLURALITY OF SAID PANELS, A WASHER RESTING ON THESUPPORT SURFACE OF THE PEDESTAL AND DISPOSED BETWEEN THE SUPPORT SURFACEAND THE DEPENDING FLANGES, SAID WASHER COMPRISING A SHEET OFELECTRICALLY INSULATIVE RESILIENT MATERIAL, AN OPEN FRAME OFELECTRICALLY CONDUCTING MATERIAL DISPOSED ON THE TOP PERIPHERAL EDGESURFACE OF THE RESILIENT SHEET<, AND IN CONTACT WITH THE DEPENDINGFLANGES, A PLURALITY OF TABS OF ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE MATERIALINTEGRAL WITH AND DISPOSED AROUND THE PERIPHERAL EDGE OF SAID FRAME,SAID TABS EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY AROUND THE EDGES OF SAID RESILIENT SHEETAND INTO CONTACT WITH THE PEDESTAL SUPPORT SURFACE.